


Howls in the Night

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, F/F, Female Characters, Female Relationships, Friendship, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 16:38:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9665858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: Regina hears the sound, even in the depths of her vault, and pauses in her abject mourning to listen to the cries of a kindred soul in torment.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheOnlySPL](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOnlySPL/gifts).



> Date Written: 11 February 2017  
> Word Count: 1852  
> Written for: Femslash February 2017 & [](http://femtropebingo.tumblr.com)[**femtropebingo**](http://femtropebingo.tumblr.com)  
>  Recipient: [](http://theonlyspl.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://theonlyspl.livejournal.com/)**theonlyspl**  
>  Prompt: Cora/Granny - bitter - screaming into the night  
> Prompt: soulmate marking  
> Summary: Regina hears the sound, even in the depths of her vault, and pauses in her abject mourning to listen to the cries of a kindred soul in torment.  
> Spoilers: Canon divergent AU taking place between episodes 02x16 "The Miller's Daughter" and 02x17 "Welcome to Storybrooke." But everything we know about these characters is still up for grabs.  
> Warnings: Mention of major character death…  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: <http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/>  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: Up to this point, this was my oldest open prompt in my tumblr inbox, dating back to 13 June 2015. And now it's no longer got that honor. Given that this was supposed to be a simple crack prompt, I really shouldn't be surprised that my muses went screaming off the deep end with a whole new serious AU for these characters. The funny thing is that I kind of like how this is set up, which means there will likely be more in this little AU…
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as usual…
> 
> Beta: [](http://theonlyspl.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://theonlyspl.livejournal.com/)**theonlyspl**

A howl pierces the silence of the midnight hour, then another and another, echoing through the streets of Storybrooke and the surrounding woods until no one is sure where the sound originated.

Regina hears the sound, even in the depths of her vault, and pauses in her abject mourning to listen to the cries of a kindred soul in torment. Without realizing it, she stands and palms a couple of trinkets from among her mother's possessions into her pocket. The howls, ranging from bitterly angry to plaintive, call to her soul, a beacon in the darkness of her loss. She makes her way into the forest, feet moving her forward one step at a time, ignoring the roots and detritus that would hinder so many others.

After several minutes, she finds herself atop a rise that looks down over both Storybrooke and the bay. The waning sliver of the moon offers little in the way of illumination, but she doesn't need it to know who it is pacing in front of her. The bald scars across the right flank and foreleg verify its identity. She hasn't seen or heard this particular wolf in nearly forty years. Despite her better judgment, Regina feels the urge to race up to the great beast and bury her face in its ragged fur.

The latest howl dies off slowly before the massive head turns toward her with lips curled back in a low, menacing growl. The wolf stalks closer, hackles raised as it continues to growl. Regina only stands absolutely still, defiantly meeting that cold, amber gaze, even as she knows she shouldn't antagonize with a war for dominance. Still growling, the wolf raises up on its hind legs, front paws on her shoulders. Only as that great muzzle nears her vulnerable throat does she close her eyes and pray that it will be a quick death.

In the space between one heartbeat and the next, the air around her shifts until she is engulfed in an all too human embrace. She stiffens at the contact for a moment before the tears fall again and she collapses against the warmth of a familiar body.

"Hush, child," comes a gruffly soothing voice, hands stroking her back and hair. "You're safe now."

"I thought--"

"You're damned lucky I recognized your scent, stupid girl. You, of all people, should know better than to come up on an angry wolf like that. Were you trying to get yourself killed?"

Regina swallows painfully against the lump in her throat and shrugs helplessly. She wants to say something, but nothing will come out.

"Come on. You look like you're going to keel over."

"I--" Regina winces as her voice cracks, then swallows painfully again. "I didn't think you could shift any longer, but I _knew_ it was you howling. I don't understand…"

There's a long pause that allows Regina to study the care worn face before her. The older woman doesn't drop her gaze, and Regina notes the same soul-deep grief that she feels in those eyes. With a sad smile, the older woman cups her cheek.

"Your mother never told you, did she?"

"Told me what? Eugenia, what's going on?"

A rough bark of laughter is her immediate answer. "Nobody's called me by my given name in more years than you've been alive, girl. Seems like I've just been Widow Lucas or Granny forever." She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Actually, I haven't even shifted since before you became a child queen."

When Granny doesn't immediately offer further explanation, Regina hesitantly asks, "Why did you shift tonight?"

"Because it's what a wolf does when her true mate dies."

"True mate? I thought your mate was Ruby's grandfather?"

"Oh gods no!" Granny replies with a laugh that goes on longer than it probably should, and Regina joins in because grief does that to a person. She wipes at her eyes and strokes Regina's cheek with her thumb. "That man turned me and claimed me as his mate, but he was never my true mate. That honor belonged to the beautiful young miller's daughter who saved me from a hunter's trap years before she ever became a mother or a queen."

The startled realization hits Regina hard, doubling her over from the pain of it, and she's lost to her grief at yet another thing her mother kept from her, yet another way in which she has never measured up to her mother's demanding standards.

"How-- Mama never mentioned any of this."

"I don't think she ever actually knew," Granny replies softly, pain tingeing her words. "We saw each other often, even embarked on a brief…" She trails off then, unsure of what to say next, then glances up as Regina squeezes her hand. "Regardless, it never would have worked out. My husband was a jealous, possessive bastard and I wasn't about to endanger Cora like that. When I heard that she'd gone heartless and took up with the Dark One, I mourned the loss of the girl I knew. But I never forgot her, no matter what atrocities your mother committed in her desire for power and control. When you were born, I could smell that young woman I loved in you, and I vowed to keep an eye on you."

"But you fought against me with Snow."

Granny laughs softly at that. "I never said that I was perfect. I loved Snow and, in my own way, I loved you, too. You both needed protecting from the world and from yourselves, especially you."

A faint rustling in the trees behind them has both women peering into the darkness there.

"Does Ruby know you're here?"

"I'm sure she's recognized my howls, even if she hasn't heard them in a long time. And she won't shift right now. The moon is waning and she truly is a child of the moon, just like her mother was, so she'll have to work far too hard to shift right now. I'll explain what I must to her in the morning when I return, and be grateful for the earful she'll give me over this."

Regina goes silent again, the realization that she'll never hear her mother's voice again ripping a new wound in her already battered and bleeding heart. She doesn't fight it when Granny pulls her into a bone crushing embrace, just lets the grief pour out in her own bitter howls of frustration and loss. She is so exhausted and wants nothing more than to slip into the oblivion of sleep or death.

"Don't you give up on me, Regina," Granny gruffly whispers, and Regina can hear the tears in her voice. "Your mother was a lot of things, but I know she loved you more than any other person in all the lands. She didn't always show it in the best of ways, but she did love you and want the best for you."

"Her-- I put her heart back in her chest, Snow said it was the only way to make her love me again. She didn't bother to tell me that she'd already cursed Mama's heart to save the imp." Regina pauses, hands clenching into impotently angry fists against Granny's back.

"Snow may have been my queen, but she was gullible in the best of circumstances," Granny says with a growl. "The Dark One probably convinced that girl that she was doing the right thing."

"I believed her. I wanted my mother's love so much, I was just as gullible." She sobs softly. "The last words Mama said were that I would've been enough. And then she was gone. And then Snow and her shepherd came racing in to try to stop me, but it was too late."

"You want revenge, don't you?" The words are soft, but Regina can hear the faint thread of anger in them. When she nods, Granny's grip only tightens. "Don't do it, Regina."

"But--"

"Trust me, the wolf in me wants vengeance for her mate, but it won't do either of us any true good. Let your grief run its course before you do anything else. And when you feel the desire for revenge, you come find me. Are you listening to me, girl?"

"Yes, ma'am," Regina murmurs, then reaches into her pocket as she realizes there's something there. She leans back to pull out a small locket that she remembers her mother wearing and a small vial on a leather thong. The vial is filled with something in shades of brown and grey. It takes a moment to recognize it as fur.

"Where did you get that?" The pained awe in Granny's voice tugs at the wounds in Regina's heart again. When she doesn't answer right away, Granny grips her arm tightly. "Damn it, girl! Where did you get that?"

"I-I don't know. I was in the vault, going through some of Mama's things when I heard your howls. I must have picked these up on my way out. Do you know what it is?"

Granny gingerly takes the vial, cradling it in her hand, and smiles. "This was a protection spell I gave your mother after she saved me from that hunter's trap. We went to a local hedge witch to get it made. I wanted to protect her from my husband more than anything else. It contains my fur, a couple strands of her hair, and droplets of both of our blood. I think there are other herbs and things in there, too. I wasn't paying enough attention to know all of what that witch did. I was far more worried about your mother's safety and the things I was feeling for her. I always hoped she'd kept it, but figured it got thrown away when she went dark."

Regina reaches out to curl Granny's fingers around the vial. "You should have this then, Eugenia, a memento of the mate you lost." It gets easier to accept Granny's term for her mother the longer they speak. "I'm sure she'd want you to have it."

"Thank you, girl, but I can't take this." She reaches under her top with her free hand to pull out a similar vial and leather thong. "I have my own." She shifts to slip Cora's vial around Regina's neck. "Consider this your reminder that your mother was a good woman once and that you are not alone in your grief. My protection of her has now transferred to you. Whatever you need, no matter what it is or when you need it, my door is always open. For the love we both bear for your mother, I will put aside any differences you and I have had in the past."

Regina lets out a strangled sob and clings to Granny again, pouring out her grief and now her relief that she isn't alone. This new information about her mother is too much to process at the moment, but she promises herself to take Granny's offer seriously in the future. She wants to learn everything she can about her mother, good and bad alike.


End file.
